Customers yesterday rushed to buy tickets for the first ever train between
Beijing and Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Tourists take photos at the
monument marking the source of the Yangtze River in Qinghai Province. The
railway bridge in the background is part of the Qinghai-Tibet railway
line. [China Daily]

Sixty hard
sleeper tickets and some hard seat tickets for Saturday's service were sold
within 20 minutes after going on sale for the first time at the Beijing Western
Railway Station, reported Beijing Evening News yesterday.

Tickets linking Lhasa to other cities have also started to go on sale at
local railway stations, but online sales are not yet available, said the
Ministry of Railways yesterday.

According to the ministry, tickets for travel between July 2 and 4 will be
sold today, and tickets for travel between July 5 and 8 will be available
tomorrow. After that passengers will be able to buy tickets 10 days ahead of
travel.

Travel agencies have also rushed to capitalize on the new service. At least
10 tour packages, all leaving Beijing for Tibet by train at the beginning of
July, are now available.

In fact, unwilling to wait for the ministry's final decisions over ticket
fares and operation arrangements, agencies started promoting their tours in
early June.

With prices now set, the first tour group leaves Beijing on July 2, the
earliest date travel agencies could get tickets. Tour prices range between 3,500
and 6,000 yuan (US$438 and 750). The cheapest offer is only half the usual cost
of an air package.

"The first tour group leaving on July 2 is almost full," said Zhao Hongyu, a
senior manager with the China Youth Travel Service, one of the country's major
travel agencies.

The 30-strong group will take the train to Lhasa, stay at three-star hotels,
and fly back to Beijing. The 10-day trip costs 5,580 yuan (US$698), about 1,200
yuan (US$150) less than a return air package, said Zhao.

"Passengers can enjoy the scenery of northern Tibet from the carriage, with
their bodies gradually adjusting to the plateau's climate. We believe the
package has a huge market," she said.

Return rail packages will cost even less.

The lowest offer so far is around 3,500 yuan (US$438). For that passengers
spend four days on the train, stay at two-star hotels, and visit Lhasa, Nyingchi
and Nam Co Lake, according to the China International Travel Service.

Since the ministry has decided not to run trains between Shanghai and Lhasa
for the present, Shanghai people have to pay far more if they want to view the
Tibetan scenery by train.

Shanghai Yaji travel agency said its earliest tour group to Tibet, which
includes some rail travel, could leave as early as July 16.

The package includes three flights and one section on the train as well as
accommodation at three-star hotels. It costs 7,500 yuan (US$938) per person even
more than a return air package.